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Sheriff Bill Brown formally announced his run for reelection at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse on Monday, backed by a sizable number of supporters. Bill Brown is being challenged by Sandra Brown, a 16-year veteran of the department and current detective sergeant for the Coroner’s Office. The two candidates, who are not related, will face off in the June election.

“We still have unfinished business,” Bill Brown said. He listed his intention to keep deputies on the streets and in the jail, to place a greater emphasis on rehab and reentry programs, and to reinstate some of the 64 positions cut during the recession. He also focused on the North County Jail, which is expected to open in 2018. Brown said that the new jail — he spearheaded efforts to get the $80 million in state funds for construction costs and, recently, $39 million for a wing dedicated to recidivism-reducing programs — will boost the county’s economy and add about 150 jobs. He also said that violent crime has gone down, citing a 41 percent drop since 1984 in the areas that his department oversees.

Sandra Brown, who would be the county’s first female sheriff, has said that the sheriff focuses too much of his attention on the new jail and not on issues like the department’s gang unit, crime in Isla Vista, finding a better way to deal with mentally ill inmates, and developing a better rapport with his deputies. “What is the landscape going to look like between now and 2018?” she asked. She also questioned the current lack of a concrete plan to pay for the operational costs — estimated at $17 million a year — of the county’s jail system once the new facility opens.

At the kickoff on Monday, District Attorney Joyce Dudley, who endorsed Bill Brown when he first ran in 2006, said he is “the only — the only — qualified candidate for this position.” First District Supervisor Salud Carbajal noted the “diverse crowd” of attendees, calling Brown a “team player” and a “consummate advocate for his department.”

Comments

My my my, Bill Browns ego is as large as the crowd behind him. Isn't it funny no sad that he has another "plan" to keep deputies on the street? Where has that plan been the last several years?

The politico's are clamoring all over themselves to back an inefficient elected leader who the Deputy Sheriff's Association isn't even supporting. What does that tell you when his own people have lost faith? Go to his website to see all the people most of which do not live in SB. Two of them said the following in the above article;

"District Attorney Joyce Dudley, who endorsed Bill Brown when he first ran in 2006, said he is “the only — the only — qualified candidate for this position.” First District Supervisor Salud Carbajal noted the “diverse crowd” of attendees, calling Brown a “team player” and a “consummate advocate for his department.”

Well that does it, since Joyce and Salud are tag teaming his re-election campaign what could go wrong? Joyce said, "The only qualified candidate". By what standard Joyce? If we take that statement then every person who runs for the first time is "Unqualified". What a moronic statement. Salud noted the "diverse crowd" and "a team player". Diverse? Because he has politicians and retired political dinosaurs standing behind him? "Team player" what the hell does that mean Salud, are you holding the puppet strings or is that just more political gibberish used to confuse the masses?

It is time for change not just in the office of Sheriff but the BOS as well. These people are the ones who have gotten us to this place today and now they are the ones AGAIN telling us they need more time.

Wow Priceless. We get a little touchy, don't we? Look at his current opponent's website, sandraforsheriff.com. There are about 7 to 10 people who have any association with the department and none who have ever run a law enforcement organization. You can dismiss the "politicians" but it's hard to discount the support the Sheriff has from those who have "been there", no matter what the jurisdiction (see billbrownforsheriff.com.) Sergeant Brown has the minimum required state qualifications to run for sheriff but that's about where it ends. Perhaps another really qualified candidate will enter the race - there's about a month left before the closing date. PS - the deputies aren't supporting Sergeant Brown either.

You actually don't even have to be a law enforcement officer to run for sheriff, so the fact that Sgt. Sandra Brown has more than 16 years at the Sheriff's Department makes her more than "qualified". In fact, she has been with the department longer than Sheriff Brown has (since he's only been there for the last 7 years as the elected Sheriff).

These political endorsements are a joke. It's not about who endorsed who. A political endorsement from another politician is called a pay back. An endorsement from a wealthy individual is called up front payment. It's the endorsement of the men and women on the job, and the endorsement of the constituants that matter most. It's about how are things going now, and are you willing to keep going in the same direction for another 4 years! I for one don't think things are going that great around the Sheriff's Department. Just ask anyone who works there. The Sheriff has not been in the good graces of the Board of Supervisors for quite some time, and half the leadership in the department that the current Sheriff has promoted are either inept, or on a temporary backfill behind his former undersheriff's abrupt departure after a sex scandal.

It is interesting no one is talking about the $17 million per year it's going to cost to run the jail. That money isn't goin go magically appear. It will come from cuts to social services, parks, public works, fire, probation. This board majority has a track record of poor fiscal management to begin with. Brown is elected and even though the BOS adopts his budget, there is no mechanism to cut off his cash from if he exceeds his alloted budget. We may need a jail, but if we cut people off from assistance, there will be more crime...period.

VoiceofSB, Actually you do have to be a law enforcement officer to run for sheriff:"A California statute establishing minimum training, education, and experience requirements for sheriff candidates is constitutional, the Sixth District Court of Appeal ruled yesterday.The justices affirmed Santa Clara Superior Court Judge Joseph Biafore’s ruling upholding Government Code Sec. 24004.3.The statute requires every candidate for sheriff to have an advanced certificate issued by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, and at least a high school diploma. It also requires between one and four years of salaried, full-time law enforcement experience, depending on what type of college degree, if any, the candidate holds." Sgt. Sandra Brown qualifies as she has the time and the high school education.

And I agree that the endorsements of the men and women and constituents matter most. Sgt. Brown has the endorsement of approximately 7 individuals with ties to the department - Sheriff Brown has over 70. You can also count constituents on each website. You can spin this any way you want, but rest assured, Sheriff Brown will be reelected.

Validated is right on, Bill's political machine (Jeremy Lindaman for heaven's sake!) will be spreading the lies from here on in. Love the "Lawman" handle, like it makes him legit. If he knew anything about the department he would know most of the deputies are afraid of retribution, and with good reason.

So "Lawman", what great things has your boy done the past 7 years? Tried to pass a tax to fund the Bill Brown Correctional Facility and got smacked down. So he does an end run with these grants that the State of Calif conjured up to get around the voters. Hasn't a clue how the operations and maintenance will be paid for (and neither do those idiot Supervisors, who just keep going along with it). And the jail won't be open until 2018... So his only "accomplishment" will have taken 12 years. Hope it doesn't end up with a sink hole under it. How's that pool working out Joe?

First I will say this. I am not, but have several friends who are current deputies.

This is what they have told me;

1) The deputy sheriffs association has told bill brown they are not endorsing him. Fact. This should be a warning to everybody. The fact that the deputy sheriff association is not endorsing Bill Brown is disturbing. WHY Lawman? The 70 you claim supporting him are MOSTLY administrators who have too. These deputies told me most of the retiree's who are supporting him left because of him. They must really hate Sandra.

2) The deputy sheriff's association has not allowed its members to vote for a candidate. WHY Lawman? Something smells fishy in Bill Brown land to have that kind of control over a union. Are these individuals who are running the union are they up for a promotion? These individuals say yes.

3) WHO has been there Lawman, retired Sheriff Thomas? According to my sources Thomas was a Lt. when he ran, one step higher than a Sgt.. did that make him qualified?

4) Lawman, when someone new runs against there boss people are not going to put themselves out there but it's probably safe to say most will NOT VOTE FOR BILL BROWN. The lack of support from his own people speaks volumes…...

Priceless, you are priceless. I also have many friends who are current and past department members. The difference between you and I is that I have been a department member for over 30 years. Why would someone who left because of Sheriff Brown support Sheriff Brown???? Be real. I can assure you that the DSA is not controlled by Sheriff Brown - give them a call. Sheriff Thomas was a Manager, Lieutenant for several years with a Bachelors degree when he ran - see the old websites. Sergeant, Brown has never been a manager, nor has she ever tried, nor does she have a college degree - there's a difference. And for your last missive, can you be specific, with numbers about your prediction that "most will not vote for Bill Brown?" You have some figures to provide us? After all, you say you know some of the deputies. Is Sheriff Brown perfect? Absolutely not - there has never been nor will there ever be a "perfect" Sheriff.

Validated and 99russelld,Yes, I am a sworn peace officer, not a campaign manager. I have over 30 years experience with the Sheriff's Department, and while we may not agree with everything, my perspective is from the inside, not from Starbucks. I'm sure we will have many more discussions.

"And for your last missive, can you be specific, with numbers about your prediction that "most will not vote for Bill Brown?" You have some figures to provide us?"

Yes I can Lawman, WHERE IS THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ENDORSEMENT? You see Lawman it is very simple to see right through you. The very people who work for the man DON'T WANT HIM OR THEY WOULD BE ALLOWING HIM TO USE THEIR ENDORSEMENT FOR RE-ELECTION!!! What is it about that that you don't understand???? Come on man you can do better than that….

I just watched a another pathetic Sheriff in southern Cali allow his deputies to be personal body guards for the Kardashian nitwits. You know the one, the same one that is endorsing our sorry Sheriff. Why on earth does an elected official allow his deputies paid for by the tax payers to be personal body guards Lawman?? You see, this is how I see it. OUR OWN Sheriff Billy Brown or as I like to call him the paparazzi Sheriff because he invited himself to the Kim Kardashian wedding in Montecito (Why he would go to that as Sheriff I'm shocked) he embarrassed himself along with his unfaithful undersheriff at the Royal Polo match in Carpinteria trying in vain to get in to see the Prince and Princess and being thrown out by security then giving them coasters as a gift. Coasters, Really??? At the same event he supposedly took a hotdog right out of a deputies mouth during lunch. How classy of our Sheriff to think of his deputies first before himself and allowing them to eat. THAT is a man who thinks of himself before his people Lawman….

You see Lawman, the deputies are talking about their leader and they aren't saying good things...

Hey Lawman I made a few more phone calls as you suggested. Here is what I have learned;

1) With all those degrees you say Bill Brown and Thomas had how is that working out for you? The department is 70+ employees down, you have lost millions in your budget, the deputies aren't supporting Bill Brown and he has the backing of his unfaithful Undersheriff who was screwing a SAR volunteer while on-duty on his website. My sources have told me Bill Brown knew of his undersheriff's transgressions before HE PROMOTED HIM. Yes, a man who is using his education and all of those degrees wisely…..

2) I have learned that Sheriff Brown was not so truthful when he said as soon as he found out about his unfaithful undersheriff he took action. He supposedly found out in early summer of 2013! The undersheriff left late 2013 what gives Lawman?

3) What my sources have also told me Lawman is that Sheriff Brown has NEVER used ANY of his vacation hours he receives every year but every year he takes several vacations while being paid by the taxpayers. What my sources have told me he takes his regular salary while on vacation and then cashes in 80 hours of vacation. IS THAT THE ETHICAL THING TO DO LAWMAN? Seems to me Lawman Sheriff Brown is spiking his retirement while screwing the public.

4) I've learned that DA Joyce Dudley tried to pawn off one of her employees to Billy and asked to make him the next undersheriff. Someone with the same character of his last undersheriff. The process was almost completed until brown was convinced not to do it. BUT HE HAD TO BE CONVINCED!! Yes Lawman sometimes education isn't all what it's cracked up to be.

Thanks Lawman for giving me the information to make more phone calls. I'll keep making them and asking questions. Until then please keep giving us more reasons to vote for him at the same time trying to defend his actions...

Take a pill Priceless. The DSA has decided to stay neutral which is not at all unusual, it has been done in Santa Barbara Sheriff's elections before.

I wasn't at the event you referenced so I can't comment on that. You can be certain that a number of deputies do not like Sheriff Brown. You can also be certain that a number of deputies don't like Sergeant Brown. That has always been the case and it always will. I try to be factual, not hysterical. You are an angry person priceless, don't let this election get to you, it will be over in a couple of months.

Sorry Priceless, I posted my last comments prior to seeing your last one. So, let me respond rationally:Are you saying that the lousy economy and the resultant loss of revenue to the department was because of Bill Brown's degrees? Or perhaps that his degrees should have given him the power to know everything about everybody? I hope "your sources" are careful about fact vs rumor. I don't have the facts on these issues and I don't believe you or your sources do either. Your whole post is bases on rumors by people who apparently don't like Sheriff Brown and don't want him reelected. Rather than your gossip, I'll wait for Nick to do an in-depth article on the candidates based on facts. Facts, Priceless, are the antithesis of your postings.

The Sheriff does not get vacation hours or hourly pay like everybody else. He/She gets an annual salary, period. There are no timecards or records kept for an elected Sheriff. Bad rumor - see what i mean?

Gotcha Lawman or who ever you are. You see Lawman, I don't think you really are a "Lawman" as you portray yourself to be. I, my opinion only, is that you are a paid political damage control minion.

So tell us Lawman, why does the Sheriff cash in 80 hours of vacation every year? Are you really trying to tell us that the elected Sheriff doesn't get vacation hours?? Really Lawman come on every government employee gets paid vacation hours.

No Lawman I'm not say'in the lousy economy was because of your messiah Billy B. or the loss of revenue was his fault. Come on Lawman even a caveman could figure that one out. Billy B. sold his department out by not hiring personnel when even the BOS said in private conversations they didn't understand why Billy wasn't hiring personnel when they told him he could.

Riddle me this Lawman, I will not call you a liar until you give me an answer. I have followed Sheriffs races for a long time. Please tell me when the DSA (Must be the deputy sheriffs association) when was the last time they decided to stay "Neutral" in a sheriffs race. Please give me the year, who was sheriff and who were the incumbents. Me think you are trying to muddy the waters.

Your talking in circles lawman, first you have "Facts" then you don't. I don't portray myself to have facts but I do have informants within the dept. The same people you supposedly work with. Yes you are right some people are going to like Billy B and some will not. But the biggest issue Lawman is that the BIGGEST union is not endorsing Billy. WHY????

Sorry Lawman. When I said "incumbents" above I meant candidates. My bad.

Also, you state my posts are based on "rumors". My posts are from insiders who witnessed or who know based on working for the Sheriff's Dept.. SO, what your say'in Lawman is that THEY are lying to me? Why would they lie?

The facts are Lawman is that an elected Sheriff is NOT the only person who can run the dept.. That is why the Sheriff promotes an entire team of managers to run the dept. or their prospective areas. As someone stated above the Sheriff doesn't even have to be in law enforcement. Whether thats true or not who cares. I'm here to tell you lawman it doesn't solely take a college degree, it doesn't take years of experience, you don't have to be a prior manager. It takes team work by an entire management staff willing to work.

You see Lawman, todays Sheriff's dept. is dysfunctional because the "Leader" is egotistical, he is arrogant and he does not allow his management staff to make decisions within their prospective areas of command. This current Sheriff has literally neutered his entire upper staff from doing their jobs. WHY?? I'll refer to "Ego & Arrogance".

One last parting shot Lawman. What is SO scary about a female Sheriff that has you concerned? And please, a degree does not qualify. The current Sheriff has several and the DSA isn't giving him their endorsement. Still waiting for an answer on that one…….

Priceless. The Sheriff gets an annual salary and does not get vacation hours. That's because he is elected. The same goes for the District Attorney. Feel free to call Bob Geis at the Auditor's office and he will confirm that for you.

It's not the gender or the degree, or even the rank that concerns me - it's the fact that Sergeant Brown has not even attempted to improve her education above a high school diploma and that she has never even tried to become a manager. Now, she wants to jump all that and be the CEO. That's what bothers me, plus her reputation for being hard to work with. But we all have our issues, don't we Priceless.

I am a law enforcement officer.

In the 1986 election between Sheriff Carpenter and Lieutenant Thomas, the DSA stayed neutral. I think they did in the 1990 election as well. They did support Sheriff Anderson in his two elections in 2002 and 2006. They have not in this election.

As for why they did not endorse EITHER inside candidate this time? I don't know. I believe the DSA Board made that decision, not the membership.

Priceless, it's not important to me whether you believe me or not, it only important to me that I try to tell it as I see it.

If Lawman has been with the Sheriff's Department for 30 years, then he doesn't hold water. He's very likely kissed Bill Brown's behind enough times to be promoted and get a spike in his paycheck. In other words, he's one of Bill Brown's little minions. I wouldn't worry about his opinion. The rest of us know better.

THROW THE BUM OUT.Isn't he supposed to be RUNNING things? If so, how does he escape responsibility for his former Under Sheriff--who is tasked with running the jail, widely known as THE WORST COUNTY JAIL IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA--who, rather than doing his job was out diddling female officers?I'll avoid my usual rant about the incredible corruption that runs through County and City law enforcement (Bill Brown and Cam Sanchez would both rather be somewhere else...if only they could get hired), the DA's office (a win-at-any-cost ethical joke), and the desk of The "Honorable" Frank Ochoa, who runs his courtroom like a Joyce Dudley slumber party...which may explain his perpetual somnolence on the bench and his egregious record of judicial error on appeal.Bottom line: it's really expensive to tolerate these fools, and it's scandalous to allow Brown/Sanchez/Dudley/Ochoa to quietly provide Iya Falcone, Paula Lopez, Kasi Beutel, Aaron Tudor, etc., etc., with Get Out of Jail cards.Election Day can't come soon enough.

Lawman, thanks for the update on sheriff qualifications. I recall that there was a time that an elected sheriff had to become certified by the state within their first year in office, if they were not already a peace officer. Forgive my lack of updated 9th circuit court decisions.

As for the love in the community and department for Bill Brown. If these string of comments are any sort of indication, I'm guessing the majority of the folks in Santa Barbara are not thrilled with the current political machine (which includes Bill Brown).

Lawman, here is a point blank question, that I ask you to answer with all of the integrity an honesty of a true law enforcment officer...Do the people in your department (you say you are a member of the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department for 30 years) want to see Bill Brown re-elected?